Reba McEntire teams up with Wonder Project for film adaptation of 'The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion'
Wonder Project, a faith-based independent studio, has begun development on a film adaptation of the bestselling book The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, which will star and be produced by Country Music Hall of Famer and outspoken Christian Reba McEntire.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Callie Khouri is set to direct the film from a screenplay by Tony-nominated playwright and screenwriter Bekah Brunstetter, Deadline reported. Meanwhile, McEntire will serve as a producer alongside Jeremy Latcham for Wonder Project and Khouri.
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, published in 2013 by Fannie Flagg, centers on Mrs. Sookie Poole, a woman from Point Clear, Alabama, who finds herself on a journey of self-discovery after receiving mysterious letters suggesting she was adopted.
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Her quest unveils the thrilling history of Fritzi Jurdabralinski and her sisters, who operated the first all-female filling station during World War II and became pioneering female Air Force pilots.
"I've always been a fan of Fannie Flagg and her writing, and it's been an honor to call her my friend for the past decade. I cannot wait to work with this incredible team to bring another one of her special stories to life on the big screen," McEntire said in a statement.
McEntire, a Grammy-winning country music artist with more than 75 million records sold worldwide, previously shared with The Christian Post how she relies on the Holy Spirit to guide the various projects she tackles.
"The Holy Spirit was left behind to comfort and guide us, and I rely on that strength each and every day," the 69-year-old artist said in a 2019 interview. "I just pray that the Holy Spirit guides me, speaks for me, helps me down those stairs."
"It's all God; He's the reason for everything I do," she continued. "I pray that I will find songs to record that will touch people's hearts and heal their hearts. Before I go on stage, I ask the Holy Spirit to touch people in the audience if they need healing or comfort."
"God gave the songwriters that gift, and if there's something in songs that can come out of my mouth and touch a person and heal their heart, it's all worth it to me," McEntire added. "Music has allowed me to do wonderful things God intended for the people who are listening."
Wonder Project, founded in 2023 by Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten and Jon Erwin, the director behind "Jesus Revolution" and "I Can Only Imagine," has a slate of upcoming inspirational projects.
These include the biblical drama series "House of David," debuting on Prime Video on February 27; "Sarah's Oil," releasing next Christmas through Amazon MGM; "Flyer," a feature film about the Wright brothers; "The Breadwinner," in early development with Sony's TriStar Pictures, starring comedian Nate Bargatze; and "It's Not Like That," a series in development with Amazon MGM Studios.
Dallas Jenkins, the creator and director of "The Chosen," is an advisor for the Wonder Project.
Erwin previously told Variety he and his wife are "part of the audience" that Wonder Project wants to serve.
"My wife and I have four kids," he said. "There's an audience that I serve with the content that we make. I need more of this in my home."
Erwin said the company hopes to sell its productions to mainstream networks, streamers and film distributors while creating its own distribution and streaming options.
"What if we could dream a little bigger? What if we could build a studio of our own that empowers creatives in this space with a level of freedom and resources they haven't had before," Erwin told Variety. "We want to be partners with studios and streamers and anybody who wants to reach this audience in profound new ways. But we want to do it while building something that is independent and can last."
